[I didn't code this part  it's for the /pl page and the online TOC.]
Smaller Learning Communities (Web only)
To reach its improvement goals, Statesboro (GA) High School implemented smaller learning communities--and began to see dramatic changes. 
By Martin G. Waters


<H1>Smaller Learning Communities</H1>
<P>By Martin G. Waters
<P>Six years ago, Statesboro (GA) High School was a traditional comprehensive high school with the extremely low graduation rate of 52%. The school had a negative reputation in the community: the school was perceived as a callous, discipline-riddled environment with a revolving door for administration and faculty. Faculty morale was low, data-based decision making was nonexistent, and relationships were never emphasized.
<P>Six years later, Statesboro High School has once again become the pride of her community. Parents are continually moving students from local private schools and even other public schools to take advantage of Statesboro's rigorous curriculum, stable and caring faculty and staff, and safe and conducive educational environment. The school has moved from the needs improvement list under NCLB, test scores are at an all-time high, discipline incidents have decreased significantly, and the graduation rate has risen to 80%. 
<P>The difference between other schools and Statesboro is that we employ the philosophy of smaller learning communities (SLCs). SLCs have proved to be an organizational structure that allows for academic accountability while building strong personal relationships. Small clusters of approximately 400 students share a common administrator, counselor, and teachers. These staff members use data to identify deficiencies, measure progress frequently, and make decisions for each student. Interventions are tailored to individual students and success is promoted and celebrated. 
<P>How did we do it? Under the leadership of Ernest Dupree, the principal at the time, Statesboro developed nine strategic committees to examine research-based solutions for identified school improvement weaknesses. At that time, these weaknesses were identified as high student failure rates, low graduation rates, low standardized test scores, high student and teacher absentee rates, high administrator and teacher turnover, lack of student recognition, an antiquated bell schedule, lack of rigor in curriculum, and low staff morale. These committees spent nine months examining research, conducting site visits, and attending professional learning events to develop a comprehensive school reform plan. As one of the research-based decisions, the school adopted many of tenants from <I>Breaking Ranks</I> (NASSP, 1996) and <I>Breaking Ranks II</I> (NASSP, 2004), chief among them SLCs.
<P>As part of the planning process, Statesboro established goals for creating SLCs. The approach for this shift in structure was similar to the backward design of the Georgia performance standards: we started with the outcomes we wanted to achieve. To know which direction to go, we first had to determine our destination. After gaining faculty input, Statesboro determined four main goals that we wanted to attain by implementing the SLC concept:
<UL><LI>Goal #1: To promote 90% of the freshman class</LI>
<LI>Goal #2: To increase by increments student test scores to exceed state levels</LI>
<LI>Goal #3: To increase by increments the graduation rate to 80% at first and then to 90%</LI>
<LI>Goal #4: To reduce the number of discipline referrals by 50%.</LI></UL>
<P>In keeping with research-based strategies, we began with a 9th grade academy. Because the 9th grade is where the foundation of the high school career is established, the 9th grade academy was named the School of Foundational Studies (SOFS). Dupree interviewed faculty members to determine which teachers to place in the SOFS, and these teachers went through training designed to help them implement it. I was chosen as the assistant principal who would head up the SOFS. 
<P>The SOFS teachers were divided into teams to keep track of the students' progress more effectively and efficiently. These teams met weekly to discuss their students' grades and behavior. Common planning periods were scheduled for the teams to provide time for these meetings and also for parent conferences. After a year of success, the same model was used as a template for creating the other three SLCs for the upper grade levels. 
<P>After implementing the SLC concept schoolwide, monitoring student achievement and behavior became more practical. The staff members of each SLC meet once a month, compile data that reflect the grades and behavior of each student, and discuss students who are having difficulty and measures to help those students attain success. 
<P><B>Components of the SLC Concept</B>
<P><B>A no-zero policy.</B> To increase student achievement as part of the SLC concept, Statesboro implemented a Zeroes Aren't Permitted (ZAP) policy. The ZAP policy does not, as some might think, prevent a teacher from assigning a zero to a student. However, this is a last resort at Statesboro: mastering content is necessary for student achievement, and a zero does not reflect the student's level of mastery. The ZAP policy simply means that if a student misses or does not complete an assignment, the teacher uses various strategies to ensure that the student completes the work. Taking a zero--the easy way out for the student--is not an option. However, if the student continually refuses to take advantage of various opportunities to complete the work, the teacher makes contact with the student's parent, and if the parent gives consent for a zero, then a zero is assigned. Then the teacher can move on with the knowledge that he or she made every attempt to reach and to teach the student. 
<P><B>Review sessions.</B> Intensive review sessions were also implemented schoolwide as part of the SLC concept. One of the most important stepping-stones toward graduation is passing all four sections of the Georgia High School Graduation Test as well as the Georgia High School Graduation Writing Test. To reach two of the school's goals, increasing the graduation rate and exceeding state-level test scores, each department holds intensive review sessions to ensure that more students pass and score higher scores on these tests.
<P><B>No more repeat courses.</B> As another component of the SLC structure, Statesboro eliminated repeater courses. Previously, a student who failed a course re-took the course during the next school year or the next semester. If this was not possible, the student had to pay to take the course in summer school, which was a difficult option for economically disadvantaged students. When we implemented SLCs, we included an On-Site Recovery (OSR) program. These are computer-based classes that allow students to earn credits for failed courses. These classes are offered before school and after school, and they are sometimes part of the student's daily schedule. OSR not only allows students to work at an individual pace to complete the coursework, but also provides an opportunity for the students to make up credits while staying on track with their other courses. 
<P><B>Increased rigor.</B> Rigorous curriculum, curriculum maps, and pacing guides have also been put into place as part of the SLC structure. Each department constructed curriculum maps and pacing guides that are aligned with the Georgia performance standards. These curriculum maps are designed to provide rigorous coursework to raise the bar and enhance student achievement. Increased rigor of all courses and vertical alignment with Georgia standards ensures that students meet and exceed state standards. 
<P><B>Benchmark assessments.</B> Benchmark assessments have also been put into place with Statesboro's shift to SLCs. All academic courses have common nine-week assessments that mirror state-constructed end-of-course tests. Using these common assessments and analyzing the data at the end of each term ensures that students will be better prepared for the material on these state tests and that they will exceed the scores required to pass. 
<P><B>Technology.</B> In the 21st century, technology is simply a part of everyday life. It enhances various aspects of life, especially education. A major emphasis of SLCs at Statesboro is the integration of technology, including LCD projectors, classroom performance systems, and smart boards. As part of further integrating technology, LCD projectors and smart boards are being installed in every classroom in our new facility so that technology will be a true schoolwide initiative. 
<P><B>Parent involvement.</B> Parent contacts are the key to education today. Parents and other guardians sometimes work odd or long hours, so they may not always have the chance to check in with the school. It's up to us as educators to make an attempt to reach out. The SLC structure lends itself to this. With smaller groups of students to keep track of, we can work as a team to contact these students' parents about grades, behavior, and overall performance. 
<P><B>Results</B>
<P>The data show the results of the SLC conversion. For example, during the 2003-04 school year, the first year of implementation, the Statesboro graduation rate was 58.4%. Our graduation rate steadily rose over the four-year period since then. By the conclusion of the 2007-08 school year, our graduation rate had increased to 79.9%. The shift to the SLC structure has had a tremendous positive impact on our school. This radical change in school design--along with determination and teamwork--has made Statesboro a true school of excellence once again. 
<BR><BR><BR>
<P>In 2006, as a result of increased student performance over a three-year period, the Northwestern Regional Education Lab and the U.S. Department of Education designated Statesboro as a Smaller Learning Community Design Studio. The school hosts customized sessions on SLCs for schools who have received federal grant monies to restructure into smaller learning communities. 
<BR><BR><BR>
<P><a href="mailto:mwaters@bulloch.k12.ga.us">Martin G. Waters</a>  is the principal of Statesboro (GA) High School.
<BR><BR><BR>
<P><a href="mailto:mwaters@bulloch.k12.ga.us">Martin G. Waters</a>  is the principal of Statesboro (GA) High School.

